The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2012-2013 season

dobo – yes Sport Pursuit is legit. I bought some from them, they arrived fine.

Today I ordered some Helly base layers and managed to get an extra £20 off after two friends I referred bought stuff from them 😆

Just saw this on snowheads http://www.wytv.com/entertainment/story/Willis-donates-ski-resort-to-charity/J1ohocs-CUeabqPL8K5YEw.cspx

I have considered donating Verbier to the RNLI. Talks are ongoing.

🙂

I have considered donating Verbier to the RNLI. Talks are ongoing.

Pah I am going to donate Austria to The Donkey Trust!

I am going to donate Austria to The Donkey Trust!

😆

As an ex skierist who now boards I was just curious as to why one would still ski ? I know its all snow sports but just curious 😀

I don’t like to spend much of my time sitting down. 8)

I don’t like to spend much of my time sitting down in the middle of the piste

FTFY! 🙂

It’s all good, though. All fun, just different ways of having it!

For example, in the summer I wakeboard. Waterskiing is just silly. In the winter I ski. Snowboarding is just silly. 🙂

Oooh just came home to find the Winter 12/13 Snowboard Asylum catalogue sitting on the doormat. 😀

Even more pleasing a quick browse suggests single colours appear to be back in this year and there are less clown suits. So I might finally find a jacket I like.

As an ex skierist who now boards I was just curious as to why one would still ski ? I know its all snow sports but just curious

Skiing is the new old cool. Boarding is for dads now (which is lucky given I’m a dad).

I don’t like to spend much of my time sitting down.

Funnily enough the sitting down is one of the reasons I like boarding. 🙂

Funnily enough the sitting down is one of the reasons I like boarding.

Yer old. 😉

😆

And fat.

But I liked the sitting down bit when I was young and slim(mer).
Sometimes it’s good to stop and smell the roses (or admire the view and enjoy being with your mates).

Sometimes it’s good to stop and smell the roses (or admire the view and enjoy being with your mates).

That’s what lifts and lunch are for, granddad! 😉

Tried boarding, was ok at it but not great – made it up some tough drags in Serre Che (pré du bois I think – it was a few years ago so it might have been an old drag that’s now been replaced by the cote chavalier chair), where other more experienced boarders fell some way down and only made it up by clinging on for dear life and being dragged up. Then again I would fall for no reason and when you fall on a board, you have no chance to catch yourself, it just hurts. so now I ski. I’m not great at that either but I don’t hurt as much. I also think skiing is more versatile, e.g you can get into touring more easily

Drags aren’t a lot of fun on a board. Was a bit of a necessity when i started but most boarders these days can get by without ever having touched a drag lift.

Then again I would fall for no reason and when you fall on a board, you have no chance to catch yourself, it just hurts. so now I ski.

Awareness of edge catching does come with practise – as does catching it and riding out.

Just do both.

Ok, I’m doing a BASI level 3 training course in Zermatt from 12th to 16th November.
Does anyone have any idea what the snow will be like around then? I booked my skis on the flight. Are they likely to get trashed? If thats the case I might try and use hire ones, or buy some cheap pre-season skis.

my first holiday booked to st anton end of jan with riding buddys who board – lucky enough to be 4 miles from hemel snow center and taken advantage of their unlimited pass . hitting thursday kickers and rails well now cant wait for real snow .. allready own 2 boards – one ride decade and one k2 zeppelin – got most of the kit just looking for a good jacket and kit . cant flecking wait for real snow and not having to screw about with my bindings every 30 seconds ! ! !

Almost 500 posts, yay!!

Just thought I’d post up one of my favourite ski segments from possibly my favourite ski movie, Level 1’s Eye Trip.

I think it also shows how skiing is getting “cool” again!!! 😀

michaelmcc cheers for the video – bought it from itunes earlier and watching now, it’s great.
I’m enjoying the soundtrack and filming more than other films like twel2ve, standing sideways etc.

mbydmt – Hey yeah Ive watched it so many times now. Good mix of big mountain and urban. That grind along the tennis net is really cool! Just such creative skiing with a quality sound track.

I haven’t seen either of those films you mentioned. Retallack is my other favourite ski film, its short, about 30 mins, I just go into this mesmerizing trance when I watch it though, all amazing cat skiing and big mountain stuff. The work of Tanner Hall.

500? Pah, that’s nothing! Last year’s thread went on all season! 🙂

Anyway, a quick Rockies update for you – Plenty of snow already by the looks of things as I flew over earlier! (Currently in the lounge at LAX waiting for a connecting flight, donchaknow! 8) )

All these airmiles are going to be buying me some SERIOUS holidays next year!

I’m in Whistler now and its raining pretty heavily. Lets hope the snow comes soon.

I’m in Whistler now and its raining pretty heavily

I imagine its snowing up the top of peak chair though?

michaelmcc – no idea on Zermatt conditions, but round here (French Alps) it’s been “seasonally average” I would say. Which for October means that it’s been a bit chilly with a bit of rain and therefore a fair bit of snow at altitude. Conditions on the glacier at Tignes are good.

K hopefully there will be good enough coverage not to wreck my Lines. Don’t own any battered skis atm.

So is it a fashion crime to wear snowboard jacket and pants skiing? its all the same isnt it?

Jackets make no difference, but ski pants have reinforced patches inside the ankles where your boots bash together. Snowboard pants don’t have this so last about one-tenth as long when worn by skiiers.

Do snowboard pants have reinforced bottoms to cope with all the extra sitting down?

😀

Just booked this years Ski holiday, going to Arabba with Inghams over the NY week. Quite looking forward to it, supposed to be a great resort 🙂

It is 🙂

(going again in Feb)

wallop – yes, actually!

Looks like there was a big dump of snow in La Plagne, France. Not sure it was just localized or spread out over a larger area. Good news though! 😀

Looks like there was a big dump of snow in La Plagne, France. Not sure it was just localized or spread out over a larger area. Good news though! 😀

Its started snowing in Switzerland!

Yes, it snowed heavily overnight/today with snow falling to below 1,500m and landing thickly at around 2000m.

Not much and I know it could be gone by tomorrow but its a promising start.

First smatterings of snow in Slovakia too:

And the brand new gondola linking Chopok North and South is looking sweet: